Mending
by fandm-writer
Summary: She was his proverbial Nightingale, and he was her Summer Night. In short, this is a story in which Barry and Caitlin fix each other, in their own special ways.


**Disclaimer: Don't own them.**

 _ **Song:**_ _Nightingale, By Demi Lovato_

 **This was actually My first ever Snowbarry fanfiction. Sorry if this is cheesy, but had this idea for a while and I really wanted to share it. Thanks for reading everybody.**

* * *

The Flash was bleeding as he laid on the cold, hard pavement.

The click of heels resonated through the air as the girl with platinum hair slowly walked towards his fallen form. She clutched a sharp, and wicked looking icicle in her hand. Killer Frost had taken control once again. She was angry about Savitar's death, and had ended up going on a rampage.

Barry knew he shouldn't have let Caitlin go off on her own. That was the whole reason this had happened in the first place, because he hadn't been there for her. Looking back he can't help but think maybe if he'd tried harder, if he'd been there, maybe they could've stopped Killer Frost from taking control.

Barry let out an almost bitter laugh. That was the irony of the whole situation, Caitlin had spent so much time saving them all, and patching them up. Yet, when push came to shove, they couldn't even do the same for her.

Barry exhaled an exhausted breath and let his head rest against the ground. He stared up at the swirling mass of storm clouds in the sky above him. They were dark and angry, viciously hurling snow to the ground below. It was coming down so fast that even in the short time the Flash had been laying there, it had already started to cover him.

Barry was fairly certain Killer Frost was the cause of it.

As she continued to draw closer, the world seemed shift into in slow motion.

Barry didn't move, he was so tired. His body ached all over, not only from his recent encounter with Killer Frost, but from the week's battles in general.

It had been particularly hectic lately, and Barry was starting to suspect he wasn't healing properly. It was taking much longer than it used to. He was knew why too. Barry had been a lot busier than usual, and he hadn't been eating as often as he needed to. He was also beginning to realize that one of recent broken bones hadn't healed correctly either. More specifically his wrist.

As Barry laid there he couldn't help but think that if Caitlin were 'around', she would've known exactly what to do. She's would've fixed him up like she always did.

First, she would've scolded him for being so reckless, but then slowly and methodically she would've gone about repairing his battered and broken body. She would've set all his fractured bones and maybe even given him a cast or two. She would've made sure he was eating properly and then double checked his vitals. She had always been his proverbial Nightingale.

Now she was gone and it was all his fault. He had taken her for granted. How could he have been so selfish? So wrapped up in his own problems that he hadn't notice her slowly breaking?

As she stood over him with cold and unforgiving eyes, Barry felt like he deserved whatever he got.

Killer Frost had been the true monster of his own making, not Savitar.

Now _his_ Caitlin was gone, and before him was the ice cold remnant of who she used to be. Killer Frost's grip tightened around her icicle as she prepared to skewer it through the Flash.

Barry still didn't move, he was beyond the point of caring. His eyelids suddenly felt like they weighed a ton and he could feel unconsciousness slowly creeping up on him. He wasn't sure if it was from his injuries, or because it had been far too long since he had last eaten. Probably both.

Through the haze a fond memory suddenly came rushing back. A memory that seemed a million miles away now. A memory filled with laughs, alcohol, karaoke, and evil dresses. Barry began to slowly and quietly hum the lyrics to himself.

 _"Summer lovin', had me a blast."_

The funny thing was, Barry hadn't started singing it as a last ditch-effort to reach Caitlin. He had done it because he was pretty certain he was about to die and he wanted it to be the last thing he heard. He wanted to spend his final moments remembering a more happy and simple time. He wanted to remember how Caitlin used to be, before he messed her life up.

 _"Summer lovin', happened so fast."_ His voice was so quiet he didn't think she could hear him.

All movement on Killer Frost's part halted. She stood motionless.

"What did you say?" Barry thought he heard her whisper.

Barry continued, more to himself than anything." _Met a girl, crazy for me_." His eyes were just barely open now.

Killer Frost lowered her icicle, a strange and unreadable look on her features. The snowstorm above them began to slow.

The last thing Barry saw was the icicle slipping from Caitlin's grasp and shattering on the pavement. Then his eyes closed and he breathed out slowly, feeling his last bit of cognitive awareness leave him.

Somewhere in the darkness he heard a voice whisper back, " _Met a boy, cute as can be."_

Then he blacked out.

* * *

When Barry awoke, it was to the sound of a rapid heart monitor. If it had belonged to a normal person it would've been worrisome, but it was just about right for him.

He opened his eyes only to be greeted by the familiar sight of S.T.A.R Labs. He was laying on a gurney, another familiar thing for him. His right arm had an IV in it and an oximeter on his index finger. He glanced over at a stack of empty IV bags on the table next to him.

Barry also soon realized that several areas on him had been bandaged, complete with a cast on his incorrectly healed wrist. Barry slowly sat up, he was still a little sore but he didn't feel like he was dying, so that was a plus.

He swung his legs over the edge of the gurney and began to remove the IV. Suddenly a voice came from the doorway, causing him to jump.

"Don't do that!" Caitlin spoke loudly.

Barry immediately looking up to see Caitlin standing in the doorway, still fully decked-out in her Killer Frost uniform.

"Caitlin." Barry exclaimed, hope rising within him.

Then suddenly her dark brown eyes turned a blue so light they were almost white. It was as if some invisible wall had snapped into place.

"Don't call me that." She hissed sharply, before turing to leave.

Like lightening, Barry used his speed to move across the room, taking the IV poll with him. He caught her by the wrist, and she turned back, giving him a warning look. Barry remained silent for a beat, simply staring into her bright, harsh eyes.

"T...thank you." He finely spoke, his voice low.

She blinked, stunned for a second or two.

"Well don't get used to it," she tore her wrist from his grasp, "I won't be around to fix you every time you decide to go and get yourself hurt, Flash." She muttered in annoyance.

Barry probably should've been hurt, but all he could do was grin. That had sounded awfully familiar.

"What?" Caitlin narrowed her eyes at him.

"Nothing." Barry shook his head, still smiling.

Barry stood there awkwardly, neither of them really moving.

After a while Caitlin spoke. "Not that I care, but you shouldn't be up, you need to be resting. You certainly shouldn't be using your speed. I didn't fix you, just so you could undo it the moment you woke up." She almost scolded.

Barry nodded and mumbled an apology before making his way back to the gurney. He laid back down on the curved bed, placing the poll next to him.

"Where is everyone else?" Barry looked around in confusion.

"Out looking for you probably," She replied. "They don't know you're here yet.

As Barry sat on the gurney he began to look over the cast on his wrist. Caitlin Frost suddenly gave him a disapproving look.

"What now?" He questioned, exasperated.

"Honestly," she started, her hands unconsciously moving to her hips, "How could you be so careless?"

"You were starving almost half to death, and your wrist had been incorrectly set. Not to mention your other untreated injures." She spoke accusingly. "I thought you were better than that, Flash."

Even though her eyes were still white, Barry knew this wasn't Killer Frost. Whether she knew it or not, this was all Caitlin Snow.

"I'm sorry?" He offered. "I just...I've been really busy, we've had a crime wave these past few weeks and I just..." he started to try and explain.

Killer Frost shook her head. "Nevermind," she muttered before turning to once again leave.

"Wait. Cait, please don't leave. Just come home." Barry pleaded.

"I told you, I don't have a home. There's no place for me here anymore." She snapped.

"Yes you do, there will always be a place for you here, no matter what. We can fix this." Barry argued.

"I don't need fixing, Barry." Caitlin shot back. "This is who I am now."

"You right you don't, not in the traditional sense, anyway. You're powers, they're apart of you. Just like my speed is apart of me." Barry explained. "And I'm sorry I didn't see that. Instead of trying to 'cure' you I should've been helping you learn to control it. I'm sorry, this is my fault." He stated.

Her expression softened, and if only for a moment, her eyes flickered.

"But this. Killer Frost, this isn't you. I think Killer Frost is less of personality and more like an armor." Barry continued quietly. "It's like she's all your pain and sadness and anger. But it doest have to control you, Cait."

Killer Frost's eyes still glowed, but she didn't move, she didn't even say a word. That told Barry he was reaching Caitlin on at least some level.

"Please, just come back. We can fix this, we can fix you, but not in the traditional sense." Barry pleaded. "Because you were right, you're broken. You've been broken for a long time. We were supposed to be your friends, but we never took the time to help you mend. I'm sorry for that too."

A small tear slipped down her cheek, freezing after a few seconds.

"If you let us, I'd like to try and set that right. Please." Barry spoke genuinely.

Slowly, the bright glow in her eyes dimmed, within a few seconds they were back to their original color. The room felt like it warmed up at least ten degrees.

Caitlin drew in a heavy breath, before slowly walking over to his left side, and sitting on the edge of the gurney.

"I don't know if it can ever be the same again." Caitlin hung her head, "I'm not sure the others will be as forgiving." She glanced over at Barry, a sad smile on her soft features.

She looked tired, so very tired. At that moment, Barry wanted nothing more than to hug her and reassure her that everything was going to be okay.

So that's what he did. He leaned forward and wrapped his arms around her. To his surprise she didn't resist, instead she burrowed deeper in to the embrace. Barry was surprised to find he was still exhausted. Slowly he began to lay back, once again he was surprised when Caitlin followed, still holding him tightly.

Soon she was laying on the gurney next to him, boots and all. She had her arms rested on his torso, while he had one arm around her shoulders.

"Of course they will, Caitlin." Barry replied to her previous statement, bringing his hand up and gently running it through her porcelain colored hair.

"We all care about, and we know it wasn't your fault." Barry assured.

"It wasn't yours either." Caitlin commented.

There was silence for a few moments.

"We need you." Barry whispered. "I mean, clearly," he gestured to himself, "I'm a mess without you." He chuckled.

Caitlin didn't respond, she simply held him a little tighter.

"We'll get through this, I know we will. We can go back to being Team Flash, or Team FlashFrost, or FlashFrostVibe. Or even SnowBarryCisco. What ever you want." Barry said quietly.

Caitlin let out a small giggle, the vibration tickling Barry's chest. He decided that her laugh was his new favorite sound, and he vowed to make an effort to hear it more often.

"I hope you're right." She murmured, sounding almost groggy.

Barry continued to brush his fingers through her hair, as she relaxed even more against him. Comfortable silence settled over them.

After a while, he looked down to check on her, only to find she had fallen asleep. Barry simply smiled, he was just happy to be back, and to have her back. He pulled her closer, if that were even possible, and settled in. She had said he needed to be resting anyway.

With a smile on his face, and bit of hope in his heart, Barry soon drifted off as well.

* * *

Needless to say, when Cisco arrived hours later, he was shocked to find Barry and Killer Frost themed Caitlin, curled up on a gurney. Both still fast asleep.

Cisco probably should've been annoyed or worried, but all he could do was smile.

Somehow, from that point on, he knew everything was going to be okay.


End file.
